Over the past few months, the KVUE Defenders has received dozens of renter complaints ranging from bed bug infestation to faulting wiring from across Central Texas... It's happening in expensive high rises, too. After a water leak flooded Troy Jordan's brand new apartment last month, he said his complex initially gave him little time to find a place to stay during repairs...

"Yes, it's pretty close to the worst I've ever seen it," said Katherine Stark, the director of Austin's Tenant's Council, a government funded nonprofit created to help tenants resolve disputes.Stark said she anticipates her staff of four will help fewer renters this coming year. Despite Austin's population explosion, funding from Austin and Travis County has remained nearly unchanged over the past seven years.